The
stern of the Russian Navy's first Mistral-class
amphibious assault ship was floated out on Wednesday, a Russian
shipyard said. The Vladivostok is to enter service with the Russian
Navy next year, Baltiisky shipyard chief Alexander Voznesensky said.

The
stern will begin to be towed to France on July 8 and is expected to
arrive there on July 25, said Yves Destefanis, a representative of the
French contractor, DCNS.

The ship will be completed at a French shipyard and floated out
on schedule, on October 15, he said.

Earlier this month, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said the stern
might not be completed within deadline, but Dmitry Rogozin, a deputy
prime minister in charge of the defense industry, days later refuted
that remark, saying: “The ship will be ready on time.”